Hand-held remote control and display system for film and video cameras and lenses

A system for remotely controlling the operation of a camera having a video signal tap and a lens including the operation of at least a start/stop switch of the camera and lens focus and T-stop adjustment motors of the lens, comprising:

• a motor driver unit for connection to and controlling of the camera start/stop switch and the lens motors;
• a controller having means for selectively connecting to said motor driver unit by hardwire or wireless for communicating between said motor driver unit and said controller, said controller being portable and sized for holding by an operator in one hand;
• said controller having separate control means manually operable by the operator for operating the motor driver unit to separately and independently control at least the camera start/stop switch and the lens motors;
• said controller having a display screen and means for selectively displaying either a scene from the video signal tap of the camera or a plurality of lens data concerning the lens;
• and
• said controller and motor driver unit having memory and processing means for selective operation with a plurality of different cameras and lenses, said controller having means for entering an identification of the camera and lens currently being used into said memory and processing means, and said memory and processing means functioning to calibrate that currently used lens to said controller and motor driver unit.